Piano-action.



No. 687,608. Patented Nov. 26, IBM.

, J. W. DARLEY, .IR.

PIANO ACTION.

(Application filed June 2, 1599.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets--Sheet l.

f2 1' f F J. w. DARLEY, 1n PIANO ACTION? (Application filed June 2;1899.)

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Patented Nov. 26, 190i.

3 Sheet sSheet 2.

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Patented Nov. 26; IBM.

' J. W. HARLEY, IR.

PIANO ACTION. (Appl licntion filed June 2, 1399.

3 Shets-Sheat 3.

(No Model.)

I! ll I l vi tme/am R d UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. DARLEY, JR, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOMICHAEL HOLZMAN, PHILIP I-IAMBURGER, AND LEON IIAMBURGER,

OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 687,608, datedNovember 26, 1901. Application filed June 2. 1899. Serial No. 719,096.(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. DARLEY,J1., a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Piano-Actions;-and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilledin the art towhichitappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in piano-actions, and especially inthose actions known as repetition actions, which are designed to enablethe operator to sound the same note repeatedly in rapid succession andat the same time preserve that quality known as the touch, which is veryessential for the satisfaction of the performer.

Musicians who have played on an upright piano provided with myimprovedaction have found that they could produce the required modulations in asatisfactory manner, as the keys, although light .to the fingers andplaying freely, do not drop away from the fingers of the player, as withactions of the construction now most commonly in use on upright pianos.I attribute this improved effect to the fact that the hammers aresubject to an approximately equal retraction, corresponding in thisregard to the hammers of the grand piano.

The presentinventionisespeciallyintended to cover certain improvementsupon the device described in my application, Serial No. 606,730, filedSeptember 23, 1896.

Referenceishad to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts areindicated by the same letters of reference throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of one of my improved pianoactionsas it is mounted in the piano, the bars or rails which support theseveral parts of the said action being shown in section, but the framingsupporting the said rails being omitted for the sake of clearness in thedrawings. In this view the parts are shown in their normal position whenthe key is at rest. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but shows theparts in the position they assume after the key has been struck Fig. 3is a detail view of the hammer-spring. Fig. 4t represents a side view ofthe supporting-frame for the various rails, and Fig. 5 represents afront view of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail view, in front elevation,showing the bifurcated front end of the jack-lever, a part of theabstract, and the stop on the jack and the relation of these parts toeach other. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the spring for controllingthe dam per-levers and the connection of the said spring with thesupporting-rail C.

A designates the base-board, upon which the several parts of the actionare mounted, and B O designate the supporting-rails, which are securedto a suitable form of frame, such as that shown in Figs. at and 5, andarranged parallel with each other and with the baseboard A.

E designates the soft-pedal rail, which is supported by the wire arms 6,one of which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which arms are connected withthe soft pedal in any well-known manner, and the rail E is arranged torest normally against the padded ends of the screws B when the softpedal is not in use.

The various rails and other parts of the piano-action are faced withfelt or other suitable material wherever they are likely to be struck byany of the moving parts, and all centers are bouched with cloth in theusual well-known way, the eifect of the whole being to prevent rattlingand to deaden all sounds except of the strings which have been struck.

x designates one of the strings of the piano.

F designates the key, pivoted upon the baseboard, as atf, and having theusual cushions beneath all its points of contact with the framework ofthe piano.

The abstract H is hung to the supporting rail 0 by a three-armjack-lever I and to the lower rail B by a straight lever K, and the saidabstract is provided at its lower end with a foot h, which is suitablypadded and rests upon the head of the screw f in the inner end of thekey-lever F.

The flange R (see Fig. 5) of the metal frame R, to which the rail B isscrewed, may be provided with slots 0'' for the retaining-screws, ifdesired, so that the rail B may be moved up or down to eliminate slipbetween the screw f and the pad 77.", when an escutcheonpin 4' may bedriven through a hole in the flange B into the rail B, thus preventingdisplacement of said rail.

One side of the foot h is extended and padded on its upper side, as ath, to make contact with a wire f which extends upward from the key andover the said end of the foot h to prevent the abstract from separatingfrom the screw f. This wire is bent down on the cushion h by a suitabletool after the whole action is regulated, and when the tool is removedthe slight resiliency of said wire causes it to spring back and give thesmall amount of play required between it and said cushion h.

The front toe R of the frame R is secured to the base-board A in rear ofa vertical line drawn through the point of contact between the key andthe foot h of the abstract, as shown in Fig. 4. This constructionenables the frame R to be tilted forward on the toe R for the purpose ofremoving the same, which movement will move the foot 7L forward and outof engagement with the screw f and the wire f To allow of this movement,no readjustment of the screw f is necessary, for the abstract willsimply move slightly up- Ward, sothat no cramping effect will existbetween the foot of said abstract and the screwf.

To the upper side of the supporting-rail O is secured a cross-piece a,in one end of which is pivoted, as at c, the hammer-butt M, from whichextends the stem M, carrying the hammer M When in the normal position,the stem M rests upon the hammerrail E, which is padded to receive it. Adepending lug m is formed on the lower front corner of the hammer-butt,cushioned, as shown at m to receive the thrust of the jack N. Atailpiece m depends from the other lower corner of the hammer-butt andis cushioned, as at 071, to receive the rear side of the head it of thejack N when the latter passes off of the lug m. The jack-lever I ispivoted to the supportingrail 0, as at t', and has the arms 2', i and 2'the abstract 11 being pivoted to the arm t, as at 71. The jack N ispivoted atits lower end to the arm 3 of the jack-lever I and extendsupward at an angle to the abstract, its upper end or head 71 normallyresting beneath the lug 'm on the hammer-butt, as shown in Fig. 1. Arecovery-spring O is mounted in the abstract H and is connected with thejack N by a flexible connection 0, the tension of the said spring beingadjustable by means of the screw 0 It will be noticed that the flexibleconnection 0 forms an acute angle with the line drawn through the pointof its attachment to the spring 0 and the fulcrum of said spring andthat as the jack is flexed this angle increases to a right angle, theobject of this construction being to increase the effect of therecovery-spring 0 upon the hammerbutt when the hammer rebounds from thep v spring while the key is held down. The tendency of therecoveryspring O is to draw the jack N toward the abstract H, themovement of the jack in this direction beinglimited by a cushioned stoph adjustably connected to the said abstract. The center i, where theabstract is pivoted to the jack-lever I, is so located with reference tothe centert' that the top of the jack N, guided by the fulcrum 7L2,moves through substantially the same locus as the abutting surface ofthe lug m of the hammer butt M, against which the jack thrusts whiledriving the hammer to the string, the objectof this being to preventslipping and consequent friction between these parts. An arm N issecured to the lowerpart of the jack N (above its pivot) and extendsforward and downward partially around the abstract and is provided atits end with a downwardly-projecting and adjustable stop 71. Thebifurcated arm 1" of the jack-lever I extends beyond the abstract and isprovided with a cushion 2', arranged to strike the stop n, as will behereinafter explained.

A flat spring D (shown in detail in Fig. 3) is secured in the rail D andbears at its lower end against a cushioned nose at on the hammer-butt-M. The rail D is formed of two sections (1 and 61 preferably gluedtogether with the ends of the springs D between them. They maybe'screwed together after being glued, if additional strength isdesired. The frame R (see Fig. 4) is provided, as atr, with a roundnose,which fits into a slightly-rounded groove in the section d. Screwsd (1, pass ing through the flange R of the frame R, serve to retain therail D in place and also permit of the adjustment of the springs D, forby loosening the screw d and tightening the screw d, the tension of thesprings D may be increased, and vice versa. The pad 61 which serves as astop for the dampen wire 9, is mounted upon a separate wood strip dwhich is screwed to the rail 1), appropriate liners being placedbetween. By varying the thickness of these liners the pad (Z may beadjusted independently of the springs D. (See Fig. 3.) This spring D istapered, so as to be smaller at its lower end, which rests against thenose m The enlarged head d is to provide a good wearing'surt'ace againstthe base m and also to give suflicient weight on the end of the spring,so that if it became loose it could not vibrate in unison with acorresponding tone that might be sounded on the piano. The office of thespring D is to aid the hammer retraction, as when the hammer is in itsraised position it is almost directly above its pivotal point a andgravity has very little effect upon it. This spring D is so arrangedthat it will exert its greatest tension when the force of gravity is atthe minimum and will decrease its tension approximately in proportion asthe force of gravity increases.

In practice I employ the same thickness of material for the springsthroughout, but con- ICC struct them of three diiferent widths and usethe smallest in the treble-section, the largest in the bass-section andthe medium size in the middle section of the piano. Starting with thehighest treble-hammer I use for the spring D thereon a spring of such aprofile as to increase the retraction on the hammer at the string toabout twenty per cent. above what the retraction on the hammer amountsto when said hammer is in its position farthest from the string. Thuswhen the hammer is at the string we have a certain retraction thereonwhich decreases as the hammer moves away from the string, and this, inconnection with the fact that the tension of the spring 0 increases asthe jack is flexed by the hammers rebound, insures a quick recovery ofthe hammer, for the farther said hammer rebounds the more power thespring 0 has thereon. The springs D, made as just explained, are usedfrom the highest treble-hammer down to. that hammer where, owing to theincreasing size andweight of the hammers as we go toward thebass-section, the retraction becomes equal throughout said ham mersrange of movement, and then the middle-size spring is used on thenextlower hammer, which increases the retraction on this hammer when it isat the string to, say, about ten per cent. above what the retractionamounts to when said hammer is away from the string, and this spring isused until that hammer is reached where the retraction again becomesconstant, as before explained. I then use the largest-size spring togive about ten per cent. more retraction when the next lower hammer isat the string than it gives when said hammer is away from the string anduse this spring to the end. More than three different sizes of'springsmay be employed, if desired. Thus in the treble-section, where greatrapidity is desirable, we have more retraction when the hammer is at thestring than we have when the hammer is at its farthest point therefrom,and in other portions of the pianothehammerretractionisapproximatelyequal.

Projecting rearwardly and upwardly at an angle from the hammer-butt isan arm M carrying aback-check M, which is padded, as shown. To the upperend of the abstract H is secured, by means of a wire 71 aback-check H,suitably padded and arranged to move as the abstract moves upward intoposition to engage the counter-check M as the hammer rebounds after thestroke and to hold the hammer from further movement so long as the keyisheld down. This position is shown in Fig. 2.

A wire h extends from the upper end of the abstract over the lower rearcorner of the hammer-butt, which is padded, as at m and the said armstriking the pad m serves to assist in throwing the hammer back quickly,when the key is released suddenly. The wire 71 is to be adjusted so thatit just touches the pad m when the soft pedal is depressed.

P designates the damper-lever, which is pivoted on the rear end of thecross-piece c and has a stem 19 extending upwardly from its upper end,carrying the damper P, which is of the usual construction and adjustableupon the stem p. A spring 1) is secured to the cross piece 0, preferablyby the same screw that holds the said cross-piece to the rail 0, and isbent upward to press against the rear side of the damper-lever P andhold the damper normally against the string so. The springp' (see Figs.7 and S) is formed of sheet metal, bent as at p. The piece 0 is grooved,as shown at a to fit the lower end of spring 13 and prevent its turning,the lower end p of the said spring being fitted in the said groove 0 andheld therein by the screw 0 The lower end of the damper-lever extendsforward and is cushioned, as atp to engagea spoon 't'flwhich extendsupwardlyfrom the arm i of the jack-lever I. When the abstract is raised,as in striking the key, the pressure of the spoon 2' will cause thedamper to leave the string, and the latter will then be free to vibrateuntil the key is released, as will be readily understood.

The rod Q is operated by the loud pedal of the instrument and serves tothrow all of the dampers off at the same time.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the key is presseddownward, the screw f will throw the abstract H upward, causing its twopivots to move, respectively, in the arcs of circles about the pivots ofthe levers I and K, the body of the abstract moving slightly toward thefront. The upward movement of the arm t of the lever I will press thejack N upwardly against the lug m on the hammer-butt, thus throwing thehammer toward the string. Before the hammer strikes the string thecushion t on the arm t" of the jack-lever I will strike the stop a onthe arm N, causing the jack to move in the arc of a circle about thepivot t' of the lever I. This will cause the head a of the jack to passoff of the log on into the recess between the lugs m and m, as shown inFig. 2, this movement being called the release, while the momentum ofthe hammer will cause it to strike the string and rebound, assisted bythe spring D, to the position shown in Fig. 2. \Vhen the end a of thejack N passes off of the lug m, it will strike the tailpiece m, and thusassist the hammer to rebound; but this rebound will be checked by thecounter-check M coming into contact with the back-check H, which hasmoved upward to meet it. Thus the hammer will be held firmly by thepressure of the counter-check M on the back-check H as long as the keyis helddown. When the key is released, the first eii'ect of the downwardmovement of the abstract and jack-lever I will release the counter-checkM and allow the recovery-spring O to draw the jack toward the abstract,causing the end n of the jack to pass under the lug m on the hammerbutt,thus placing the parts in position to IIC make another stroke, evenbefore the hammer has fallen against the hammer-rail or the key andabstract have fully returned to their normal positions. It is evidentthat 5 the effective distance from the pivot C at which the force of thekey operates is the perpendicular distance from the pivot C to theprolongation of the line passing through the pivot G of the jack and thepoint of contact of said jack with the lug m; also, that the effectivedistance from the pivot O at which the force of the recovery-spring Ooperates is the distance from the pivot O to the point of contact of theinclined face of the jack with the lug m, since in the release positionof the jack said inclined face is practically on a radial line to saidpivot 0. As it is evident that this latter distance is greater than theformer, it follows that the force of the recovery-spring can beproportionally less than what it would have to be if it acted at thesame effective distance from the pivot of the hammer as the keyoperates, as has been the custom to arrange it heretofore. Thespring Dwill assist the hammer to rebound promptly and start backwardimmediately upon the release of the key, and the tension of this springis so adjusted, as before explained, that when the hammer-stem M is inan approximately Vertical position the spring will exert its greateststrength; but as the hammer falls back toward the hammer-rail thetension of the spring will decrease until very little pressure isexerted. By the use of the nose m" for the hammer-spring D to bearagainst a much more accurate and constant point of application for thespring is obtained, for with the end of the spring bearing in the slot,as usual, a slight lengthening and shortening of the spring will cause aconsiderable change in its point of application on the hammerbutt, andso may cause great irregularity in the touch of the adjacent keys. Asthe hammer moves toward the string the spoon 2' on 5 the lever I willmove the damper away from the string, as will be readily understood.

The recovery-spring is so mounted, as before explained, that in thefirst part of the movement of the jack during release it will exert verylittle pull; but after the arm 2" has acted upon the stop at and throwsthe jack rearwardly the pull of this spring will increase as the hammerrebounds. This also causes the spring to exert greater force on the jackthe more it is flexed, thus causing it to pass under the lug m orrecover promptly, and hence the recovery-spring is always able to bringthe jack under the hammer ready for another blow, and this effect isentirely independent of the position of the key and hammer.

The herein-described invention provides a simple, effective, and durablerepetition piano-action adapted to enable the operator to sound the samenote in rapid succession and with small elevations of the key, and italso gives the performer thorough control of the estyeos expressionwhile maintaining that desirable but almost indescribable element wellknown to musicians as the touch of the instrument.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a piano-action, the combination with ajack, of a jack-leverpivoted to and operating said jack, and means for causing saidjack-lever to push said jack during the early part of the stroke, andfor causing said jack to rotate with said lever about the pivot of thelatter during the latter part of the stroke, substantially as described.

2. In a piano-action, the combination with an abstract, of a jack-leverpivoted to the piano-frame and to said abstract, a jack operated by saidjack-lever, and means for causing said jack to rotate with said leverabout the pivot of the lever during the latter part of the stroke,substantially as described.

3. In a piano-action, the combination with an abstract, of a jack-leverpivoted to the piano-frame and to said abstract, a jack operated by saidjack-lever, an arm on said jack and an arm on said jack-lever, engagingthe first arm when the hammer nears the end of its stroke, substantiallyas described.

4. In a piano-action, the combination with a jack, of a jack-lever andmechanism for operating the same, of means for causing said jack-leverto push said jack during the early part of the stroke and to cause saidjack to rotate with said jack-lever about the pivot of the latter at theend of the stroke, substantially as described.

5. In a piano-action, the combination with a jack, of a pivotedjack-lever and mechanism for operating the same, an arm projecting fromsaid lever, and an arm projecting from the jack and struck by the firstarm toward the end of the stroke, substantially as described.

6. In an upright-piano action, the combination with a hammer-butt, of ahammer-retracting spring adjusted to increase in tension approximatelyas the hammer retraction due to gravity decreases, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an upright-piano action, the combination with a hammer-butt, of ahammer-retracting spring adjusted to increase in tension approximatelyas the hammer retraction due to gravity decreases, a jack engaging saidhammer-butt, and a recovery-spring tending to hold said jack inengagement with said hammer-butt and acting in opposition to the actionof said hammer-spring, substantially as described.

8. In a piano-action, the combination with a jack, a hammer-butt and ahammer, of means independent of the hammer-butt for causing the face ofthe jack which abuts upon the hammer to move during the direct drive inthe same locus as the coacting part of the hammer-butt, and arecovery-spring carried IIO by said means, the force of said springacting on the hammer-butt at a greater effective distance from the pivotof the hammer than the effective distance from the pivot of the hammerat which the force of the key operates, substantially as described.

9. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer, a hammer-butt, ajack, and an abstract, of a jack-lever pivoted to said abstract andoperating said jack, and means for causing said jack-lever to push saidjack forward during the early part of the stroke, and for causing saidjack to rotate in unison with said lever during the latter part of thestroke, with a recovery-spring interposed between said jack and saidabstract and increasing in tension as the hammer rebounds from thestring, substantially as described.

10. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer, ahammer-butt, andan abstract, of a jack-lever pivoted to the piano-frame and to saidabstract, a jack operated by said jack-lever, and means for causing saidjacklever to push said jack forward during the early part of the stroke,and for causing said jack to rotate in unison with said lever during thelatter part of the stroke, with a re- 'covery-spring interposed betweensaid jack and said abstract and increasing in tension as the hammerrebounds from the string, substantially as described.

11. In a pianoaction, the combination with a hammer, a hammer-butt, andan abstract, of a jack-lever pivoted to the piano-frame and to saidabstract, a jack operated by said jack-lever, an arm on said jack and anarm on said jack-lever, adapted to engage when the hammer nears the endof its stroke, with a recovery-spring interposed between said jack andsaid abstract and increasing in tension as the hammer rebounds from thestring, substantially as described.

12. In a piano-action, the combination with key, an abstract operatedthereby, and a jack operated by said abstract, of a ham merbutt operatedby said jack, a counter-check carried by said hammer-butt, and abackcheck secured on said abstract and engaging said counter-check onthe side next the ham mer-butt, substantially as described.

13. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer-butt and anabstract, of an arm projecting forward from said hammer-butt, acounter-check secured to said arm and inclined at an angle downward, anda backcheck carried on the upper end of said abstract and engaging theface of said countercheck next the hammer-butt, substantially asdescribed.

14L. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and an abstractoperated thereby, of a hammerbutt operated by said abstract, acounter-check carried by said hammer-butt, and a back-check secured onsaid abstractand engaging said counter-check on the side next thehammer-butt, with a wire projecting from the said abstract and engagingthe hammerbutt and tending to retract the hammer when the key isreleased, substantially as described.

15. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer-butt and anabstract, of an arm projecting forward from said hammer-butt, acounter-check secured to said arm and inclined at an angle downward, anda backcheck carried on the upper end of said abstractand engaging theface of said countercheck next the hammer-butt, with a wire pro jectingfrom the said abstract and engaging the hammer-butt and tending toretract the hammer when the key is released, substantially as described.

16. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and a substantiallylongitudinally movable abstract operated bysaid key, of a hammeroperated by said abstract, and a wire from said abstract adapted tostrike the hammerbutt and assist in retracting said hammerbutt when thekey is released, substantially as described.

17. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and an abstractoperated thereby, of a hammerbutt operated by said abstract, acounter'check carried by said hammer-butt, a wire extending from the endof said abstract and aback-check secured on said wire and engaging saidcounter-check on the side next the hammer-butt, and an adjustable screwinterposed between the base of the abstract and the key, substantiallyas described.

18. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer-butt and anabstract, of an arm projecting forward from said hammer-butt, acounter-check secured to said arm and inclined at an angle downward, awire extending from the end of said abstract and a backcheck carried onthe upper end of said wire and engaging the face of said counter-checknext the hammer-butt, and an adjustable screw interposed between thebase of the abstract and the key, substantiallyas described.

19. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and an abstractoperated thereby, of a hammer-butt operated by said abstract, acounter-check carried by said hammer-butt, and a back-check secured onsaid abstract and engaging said counter-check on the side next thehammer-butt, an adjustable screw interposed between said abstract andsaid key, and a wire fastened to said key and holding said abstract inengagement with said screw, substantially as described.

20. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer-butt, and anabstract, of an arm projecting forward from said hammer-butt, acounter-check secured to said arm and inclined at an angle downward, anda backcheck carried on the upper end of said abstract and engaging theface of said countercheck next the hammer-butt, an adjustable screwinterposed between said abstract and said key, and awire fastened tosaid keyand holding said abstract in engagement with said screw,substantially as described.

21. In an upright-piano action, the combination with a hammer acted uponby gravity with a variable retraction, of a hammer-retracting springalso acting upon said hammer, the parts being so arranged that the totalhammer retraction shall be approximately constant, mechanism for drivingsaid hammer toward the spring, means for terminating the said drivingrelation between said mechanism and said hammer, and a spring forrestoring said relation, substantially as described.

22. In a piano-action, the combination of a key with operating mechanismdriven thereby, and an arm of said key extending over a portion of saidoperating mechanism and tending to prevent separation of said mechanismfrom said key, substantially as described.

23. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, of an abstractoperated thereby, and a hammer operated by said abstract with a wire ofsaid abstract adapted to aid the return of the hammer to the initialposition, substantially as described.

24. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, of a lever, anoperating-bar pivoted to said lever, a link pivoted to the operating-barand to the piano-frame, and an arm attached to the key limiting theseparation of said key andoperating-bar,substantially as described.

25. A hammer-spring for use in piano-actions having a flat tapering bodywith an enlarged fiat head, substantially as described.

26. In a piano-action, the combination with a rail, a flat springsecured to said rail, and a hammer-butt provided with a pointed noseengaging the other end of said spring, substantially as described.

27. In a piano-action, the combination with a rail, a flat spring havinga tapering body and a flat head secured at the tail end to said rail,and a hammer-butt provided with a nose engaging said enlarged head,substantially as described.

28. .In a piano-action, the combination with the hammer-rail, of aflange secured to said rail, a damper-spring having a base portion 13secured to said rail by the flange-screw c and a spring portion 1) tobear against the nose of the damper-lever, substantially as described.

29. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer spring-rail and aseparate padded rail for the dampers secured thereto andadjustableindependently thereof, substantially as described.

30. In a piano-action, the combination with a jack, of a pivotedjack-lever and mechanism for operating the same, means for causing saidjack-lever to push said jack forward during the early part of thestroke, and to cause the jack to rotate in unison with the jack-levertoward the end of the stroke, substantially as described.

31. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer springrail and. aplurality of springs secured thereto, of means for rocking said rail tovary the tension of the springs on the hammers, comprising a noseattached to the action-frame and forming a fulcrum for the rail, andadjusting-screws on opposite sides of said fulcrum, substantially asvdescribed.

In a piano-action, the combination with the hammer-rail, of a flangesecured to said rail recessed on the top, of a damper-spring having abase portion p to [it in said recess, and a spring portion 1) to bearagainst the nose of the damper-lever, substantially as described.

Ina piano-action, the means for adjusting the rail B comprising theslotted flange It attached to or integral with the actionframe, andprovided with the hole 1' retaining-screws passing through said slots,and a dowel-pin driven through said hole into said rail when the samehas been adjusted, substantially as described.

34. In a piano-action, a removable frame having the front toe oredge ofits supportingbase rearward of a line drawn through the point of drivingcontactbetween the key and operating mechanism, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

35. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and an abstract.operated thereby, of a hammer-butt operated bysaid abstract, acapstan-screw in said key beneath the foot of said abstract, and an armfrom said key extending over the foot of said abstract, substantially asdescribed.

30. In apia-no-action the combination with a key, an abstract operatedby said key and hung so that it will move upwardly and forwardly, a jackoperated by said abstract, a recovery-spring on said abstract acting onsaid jack, causing the upper end of the latter to move with the abstractthereby restraining it to approximately the same locus as the coactingpart of the hammer-butt until release commences; of a hammer-butt andhammer operated by said jack, substantially as described.

37. Ina piano-action the combination with a key, an abstract operated bysaid key, a jack-lever supporting the upper end of said abstract, a linksupporting the lower end of said abstract, causing the abstract to moveupwardly and forwardly when operated on by the key, a jack pivoted 011the said jacklever, a recovery-spring on the said abstract connectedwith the said jack, causingthe upper end of the latter to move with theab stract thereby restraining it to approximately in the same locus asthe coacting part of the hammer-butt until release commences; of ahammer-butt and hammer operated by said jack, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. DARLEY, JR.

Witnesses:

PERCY O. BOWEN, FRANCE D. BLAOKIS'LONE.

IIO

